Early identification of mental health care needs of immigrants in primary care, and barriers and facilitators of care reception within a human centered design framework
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Citation
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mental Health is currently without a doubt important in United States. Having good mental health means that one is able to cope with stress, or possible anything negative that is happening in their environment and accomplish goals and dreams for themselves. However, having a poor mental health can deter one from completing their dreams, goal, and completing daily task in their lives. Poor mental health can result from not being in the right environment, or just added stress onto their lives without learning how to balance stress or new things. Mental Health in America is very publicized, taken care of, and valued; at least if you are indeed a citizen of United States. A group that is not cared for regarding their mental health are immigrants. The immigration community are often looked down upon because they are considered as vulnerable. There are not a lot of research about immigration health, yet there seems to be a lot of research about mental health of non-immigrants.
OBJECTIVE: To determine early identification of mental health care needs of immigration in primary care, and barriers and facilitators of care reception within a human centered design framework.
METHODS: Public health data reporting quantitative and/or qualitative data and Nominal Group Technique (NGT) were used to collect data in order to determine the role of how mental health can have such an impact to the immigration population. Two experts in the field were used as participants in the NGT interview. The experts were asked three questions about immigration and mental health care. Based on their answers, one would see the targets needed to address mental health care in the immigrant community. The public health data was used to find mental health outcomes in Massachusetts, and then also to determine the targets of immigrant mental health care.
RESULTS: Both experts agreed that targeting the four core psychosocial stressors is a way to address the effects of immigrant mental health. The four core psychosocial stressors are resettlement, acculturation, trauma/isolation, and psycho-pharmacological treatment. In identifying these four core psychosocial stressors, we can start to address the needs assessment for immigrants and the immigrant community. The public health data showed examples of the core psychosocial stressors; an example of resettlement stressor was the COVID-19 pandemic.
CONCLUSIONS: When identifying the four core psychosocial stressors, we can conduct a human centered design framework to improve the mental health of immigrants. In creating the human centered design framework, clinics can be built or improved with the knowledge of knowing the stressors for immigrants. Laws and government can be change to better the health of the immigrant community.